State v. Holder

181 So. 3d 918, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 2498, 2015 WL 8348704
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 9, 2015
DocketNo. 50,171-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 181 So. 3d 918 (State v. Holder) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Holder, 181 So. 3d 918, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 2498, 2015 WL 8348704 (La. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

LOLLEY, J.

11This 'criminal appeal arises from the 26th Judicial District Court, Parish of Bossier, State of Louisiana. The defendant, Christopher Wayne Holder, was convicted of the second degree murder of his mother,- a violation of La. R.S. 14:30.1. Christopher was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor, without the benefit of probation, parole, -or suspension of sentence. [922]*922Christopher appeals his conviction and sentence, which, for the following reasons, are affirmed.

Facts

On November 18, 2011, Dr. Donna Holder was stabbed to death in her home. That evening Christopher Holder placed a 911 call from the home he shared with his mother, reporting that Dr. Holder had been stabbed by an intruder. Officers immediately responded to the scene and located Christopher, who appeared to be covered in blood. Later, an autopsy of Dr. Holder by Dr. James Traylor, the director of Autopsy and Forensic Services at LSU Health Sciences Center of Shreveport (“LSU-HSC”), confirmed that she died as a result of multiple stab wounds and that her body also displayed defensive wounds. Dr. Traylor identified 43 stab wounds, 17 slash wounds, and approximately 32 superficial incisions. He located a complete knife that was lodged in the left chest cavity.

Detective Kevin Little testified that, after searching the house and interviewing neighbors, officers at the scene came to believe that there was no intruder. At the scene, Christopher was placed in handcuffs, read his Miranda rights, and held outside the house. He was transported to the Bossier City police station. Corporal B.J. Sanford conducted a recorded | ¡Interview of Christopher approximately 1½-2 hours after the 911 call was placed, at 9:30 p.m. Corporal Sanford testified that, prior to the interview, Christopher was read his Miranda rights and signed a card acknowledging the recitation of rights.

Christopher filed a motion for the appointment of a sanity commission, owing to his recorded history of mental illness and commitments. Christopher ultimately was indicted for second degree murder, in violation of La. R.S. 14:30.1. A sanity commission, composed of two physicians, was appointed by the trial court. It ruled, based upon the reports provided by the sanity commission, that Christopher was competent to stand trial. He was formally arraigned on May 14, 2013, and entered the duel plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

On April 22, 2013, the state provided notice of its intent to introduce Christopher’s confession into evidence, and in response, he filed a motion to suppress and motion in limine. He argued that, despite knowledge of his history of mental illness, officers conducted an “aggressive, physically threatening and intimidating custodial interrogation” which resulted in a confession. He further argued that, because he was not provided with an attorney upon request, the statement was unconstitutionally obtained and should be suppressed. The motions also listed numerous items seized from the scene in the three hours before the police obtained the search warrant. Christopher argued that, because the items were seized without a warrant, they should be suppressed. It was asserted that, although the 911 call ^implied a consent to search, the excessive lapse of time and Christopher’s known mental illness made the warrantless search unreasonable.

A thorough hearing on the motions, which included expert medical testimony, was held. The trial court denied the motion to suppress, finding that the officers followed proper protocol in obtaining a search warrant and seizing items from the crime scene. As to the motion in limine, the trial court noted that no physician tested for whether Christopher’s statement was made knowingly and voluntarily. The trial court concluded, based upon the testimony of the officers and physicians, that Christopher’s statement was made freely and voluntarily and was admissible. The motion in limine was denied.

[923]*923' Initially, Christopher elected to be tried by jury, but later filed a motion requesting he be tried by judge. After a hearing on that motion, the trial court denied the motion as untimely. Christopher made no objection to the trial court’s holding.

The jury trial commenced. During the six-day trial, the defensé called numerous lay and expert witnesses regarding Christopher’s mental status.

Lay Witness Testimony

Ann Watson, Dr. Holder’s aunt, testified that she cared for Christopher as a child while Dr. Holder and her husband, Gary, worked. She often drove Christopher to physician appointments. She recalled that Christopher was prescribed medications which she began administering when Christopher was 14 years old. She testified to instances when he was reluctant to take the medications, stating that “many times we thought he 14was taking it and he wasn’t.” Two weeks prior to her murder, Dr. Holder told Ms. Watson that she believed Christopher was not taking his medication and she intended to admit him to LSU, which Christopher opposed. Ms. Watson described Christopher as “agitated” on the day of the murder but admitted that she had never witnessed him to be violent.

Karen Diehl, Christopher’s high school guidance counselor, testified that Christopher began exhibiting agitation in the 10th grade and was often unable to remain in class. Diehl, a licensed professional counselor, testified that Christopher reported auditory hallucinations, and she explained to him that he could be treated.

Rick Brown, owner of the gym where Christopher worked out, testified that he noticed changes in Christopher’s demeanor when he turned 14 or 15 years old. Brown testified that two days prior to the murder Christopher reported hearing voices but maintained that he was taking the proper medications. Officer Russell Engi described an “isolated incident” in which Christopher had an outburst over someone elsé using a machine at the gym.

Dr. Karen Branham, an anesthesiologist and friend of Dr. Holder, recalled an incident when Dr. Holder had to report to the emergency room because.Christopher was being admitted as a danger to himself. Dr. Holder confided in Dr. Branham that Christopher suffered difficulties when not on his medication. Following his parents’ divorce, Christopher did not stay with his father often because Gary Holder would “not keep him for long.” Dr. Branham testified that Gary did not believe that his son needed to be on | ^medication. At one point, Dr. Holder had to get a court order to force Christopher to take his medication. Dr. Branham presented emails from Dr; Holder detailing Christopher’s struggles and refusal -to take medication. Dr. Branham testified that the week of her murder, Dr. Holder expressed anxiety regarding Christopher’s noncompliance and her intent to place him in a group home.

Gary Holder admitted that the issue of whether to medicate Christopher was a large part of his divorce from Dr. Holder. He testified that he was conducting independent research on physicians, treatments, medicines, and mental 'illnesses, and was merely providing that research to Dr. Holder. He stated that the divorce was handled by the attorneys and could not recall ever going to court, but admitted that the divorce was contentious due to the medications that Christopher was taking. Gary was unable to name one physician who he believed was properly treating his son.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
181 So. 3d 918, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 2498, 2015 WL 8348704, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-holder-lactapp-2015.